New app gives real-time MSU parking information

Parking at Mississippi State University now is more user-friendly with the addition of a new Parker motorist guidance smartphone application and ParkEdge parking publishing platform.

In collaboration with California product manufacturer Streetline, Inc., the new app and web browser provide near real-time insight on available parking, including policy information for specific campus lots.

Mike Harris, director of parking and transit services, said MSU's unprecedented growth in recent years has created a challenge for students, employees and visitors looking for available parking.

To download the app, smartphone users should visit www.parkingservices.msstate.edu or search "Parker" in the app store.

"We believe this partnership with Streetline provides immediate answers to questions on campus parking in a convenient format that's accessible to all MSU stakeholders," Harris said.

Zia Yusuf, Streetline chief executive officer, said the company's "new smart technologies are a prime example of the different ways a large institution can improve the way its constituents park."

Testing of the program began during the 2012 fall semester with an expected outcome of both improving parking experiences and reducing the environmental impact of campus vehicular traffic.

With the technology, MSU Parking and Transit Services now communicates parking information using existing resources and infrastructure. Parking staff members monitoring the various lots can communicate space availability to the office, where the information is updated via ParkEdge. Within seconds, the new parking status is available to users via Parker and the web based ParkerMap.

Harris said the Parker app provides an easy-to-understand green-, blue- and red-color image that indicates available parking spaces. Campus lots that currently may be checked with the app include commuter, staff and residential.